Because different isotopes of an element have almost identical chemical characteristics and differ mainly in their atomic mass, their separations are among the most difficult to achieve. Uranium isotopes are separated for military and power production purposes. Isotopes of other elements useful in research, medicine and commercial applications are separated at high cost and in small quantities.
Two types of separation processes are now being used to separate isotopes. The first requires many repetitions, referred to as "stages", of a separation process that effects a slight enrichment of one isotope at each stage. Examples of these repetitive separations are gaseous diffusion, gas centrifuge, thermal diffusion, ion exchange, and supersonic nozzle processes. These are expensive due to the many separation stages required.
The second type requires the precise control of process parameters in order to effect a satisfactory separation in a single stage. Electromagnetic and laser isotope separation processes fall into this category. These processes are expensive largely due to the cost to maintain the required degree of control of a single stage.
There is thus a need to provide a process for separating isotopes of elements that is simple and less costly than existing methods.